Machine



(No Model.) 2 S'heets-Sheet 1;

3 J. R. CUMMINGS.

STEREOTYPE PLATE SEPARATING, TRIMMING, AND/GROOVING MACHINE. No. 416,716. Patented Dec. 10, 1 889;

. WW m WJMMM fi Wf 9 L, 'ow'e N. PETERS, Phololllhugfipher. Washingom DAG.

(No Model.)

' ZSheetQ-Sheet 2. J. R. CUMMINGS.

STERBOTYPE PLATESEPARATING, TRIMMING, AND GROOVING MACHINE No. 416,716. Patented Dec; 10,1889.

N, PETERS, PhakrLilhbgrapher. Wnhingtbn. DC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. CUMMINGS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICA PRESS ASSOCIATION, OF SAME PLACE.

STEREOTYPE-PLATE SEPARATING, T RIMMING, AND GROOVING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,716, dated December 10, 1889. Application filed June 1, 1888- Serial No. 275,780- (No model.)

To aaZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that 1, JOHN R. CUMMINGS, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stereotype- Plate Separating, Trimming, and Grooving Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

' It is the object of my invention to separate newspaper-size stereotype -plates into columns, trim the side edges of said columns at the same time they are being separated from the plate, and to provide a longitudinal central inclined groove in the under surface thereof.

The construction of the machine is comparatively simple, and does its work quickly and effectively, substantially as hereinafter described, and as illustrated in the drawings, in which'' Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 shows a side and'bottom view, respectively,

of the stereotype-plate-feeding devices. Fig.

4 is a detail view thereof. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the devices for actuating the stereotype-feeding devices. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section of the stereotype-clamping devices, which hold the column of mat ter after it has been separated from the stereotype-plate and feed it to the grooving-saw;

and Fig. 7 shows a side elevation of a section of my machine.

' Reference being had to the drawings, A represents a rectangularopen frame, which is supported above the table of the machine by suitable legs a a. Resting upon the longitudinal side pieces of frame A are the transverse bars a, and the under surface of the transverse side pieces of said frame are provided with racks b 1). Moving longitudinally upon the transverse side pieces are the carrier-heads B B. These heads have secured to their under surface the brackets B, in the end of which are bearings for the longitudinal shaft C. This shaft has secured to it, immediately under the transverse side pieces of frame A, the pinions c, which engage the racks b, and as said shaft is revolved by means of crank C moves said carrier-head forward or backward.

.by a small hand-wheel cl on its rear end,

and its other end passes longitudinally'upon platform b. Tapped into the under surface of block E are the set-screws e e, which pass through a longitudinal slot e in ;the platform I), and support and hold up against the under surface of said platforms the adj usting-plate F. When the block E is moved longitudinally on platforms b by the manipulation of screw D,the adjustable plate is likewise moved. This is due to the con-l nection between said block E and plate F ,made by screws e. The forward end of plate F projects a suitabledistance in front of the platform, beyond the front edge of the same, and arising therefrom are the lugs f, between which is pivoted the clamping-jaw G. Journaled in these lugs f at a point .to the rear of the pivotal point of jaw G is a rock-shaft g. Between lugs f f (which arise from plate F) the rock-shaft g is provided with ofiset portions or eccentrics g, and these eccentrics pass through suitable longitudinal slots G in the rear extensions or parts of jaws G, back of their oscillating centers. Thus as shaft 9 is rocked through the medium of a handle G" the said jaws G are oscillated, so'as to clamp the edge of the stereotype-plate between them and the forward endof the adjusting-plates, substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

H represents a transverse shaft suitably journaled on a plane just above that of the feet of the legs aof the rectangular frame A, and is placed to one side of and at right angles to the left-hand longitudinal edge of frame A. On the end of this shaft H, contiguous to the frame A,I secure a saw I, and separated from this saw bya washer h, a distance corresponding to about one-half the width of a column of stereotype matter, is a saw J, which is also secured to the shaft H by a suitable arbor. The diameter of sawI is such that it projects above the plane of the upper surface of the frame A and revolves on a plane immediately next and parallel to the adjacent side edge of said frame, so as to separate the projecting column of the stereotype-plate resting on and projecting out over the side edge of the said frame A. Saw J is considerably less in diameter than saw I, and

is intended to groove the projecting column,

as will hereinafter be fully explained.

Secured to and made integral with the end legs a of frame A, next to the saws, are the inverted-L-shaped standards K, which are constructed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to permit the sawlto pass under the bend, and which are provided with hearings in their extremities for the longitudinal rockshaft M. The journals of the shaft are preferably stepped to a less diameter than the remainder of its length, and a segment of the uppermost part of its circumference is planed away, so as to be on the same plane as the upper surface of the bed-plate. Secured next to the journals of this shaft M at or near its angle are L-frames N, which have journaled in the upper ends of their vertical portion the longitudinal shaft N, and have pivoted near the ends of their horizontal portions, slightly above the plane of the upper surface of the frame, by means of the pintle-screws 'n n, the presser plate at. The length of the presser-plate is slightly greater than the length of a column of stereotype matter and slightly less than that of frame A. Connecting the ends of the horizontal portions of the L-frames M is a gage-strip 0. This strip is so secured to the said L- frames that it can be adjusted slightly toward or away from the parallel adjacent side of said frame A.

When it is desired to saw a newspaper-size stereotype-plate into column lengths, the said plate is placed upon the frame A so that its side edge rests between the jaws G and the adjusting-plates F. The crank O is then grasped and the shaft 0 revolved, so as to move the carrier-heads and the stereotypeplate toward the saws until the plate projects out over the edge of the frame A next to the saws and bears against the gage-strip 0. The extent of said projections will then correspond exactly with the width of a column of newspaper matter, and the frame A is then moved bodily in a longitudinal course to and past the saws, whereupon saw I'will separate said projecting column from the remainder of the stereotype matter on said frame A. When the column of stereotype matter is thus separated from the plate, it is necessary to clamp it. This it is the office of the presser-plate n to do. I therefore secure to or make integral with the upper surface of the said plate, at suitable distances apart and at points intersected by the vertical plane which passes through the centers of shaft N, the lugs 19, and journaled on eccentrics (1, made in one piece with or secured to said shaft N with reference to lugs 13, the links 0. These links 0 pivotally connect lugs 19 to eccentrics q, and when shaft N is rocked by means of a milled hand -wheel P, secured on its projecting end nearest the front of the machine, oscillates the presser-plate n, so as to clamp the said projecting column of stereotype-plate down onto and against shaft M, or releases it therefrom. After the said projecting column of matter is separated from the plate on the bedframe A said frame is moved longitudinally back to its original position, whereupon the frames N, together with the devices supported thereby for clamping the stereotyped matter, are oscillated with shaft M to an angle of about forty-five degrees, (45,) as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thus inclining said column of matter held by said clamping devices at an angle of preferably about forty-five degrees (45) to the plate upon the bed-frame it was separated from. Said bed-frame is then again moved bodily to and past the saws, and the saw J cuts the inclined groove in the under surface of the separated column as it passes longitudinally over it. I insure and maintain the L-framesN in their vertical position while the projecting column is being separated from the plate, and keep it in its inclined position during the grooving operation by means of the hook shaped dogs R. This dog is pivoted to the upper end of the L- frame and catches over the pin 4*, projecting from the inner surface of the standards, thus preventing the said frames from oscillating to its second position. When said frames N are oscillated to their second or inclined position, the dog is released from pin 0 and caught over pin 0", which maintains said frames in the position.

The teeth of the saw I are so constructed as to alternately deflect slightly to first oneside and then to the other, so as to shave or trim the sides of the kerf made by the saw when separating the projecting column. Any other construction which would enable it to accomplish the same result would, however, answer just as well.

The devices for feeding the stereotype-plate to the saws may be different from those heretofore explained without necessitating any material change in the construction and arrangement of the saws; in fact, such feeding could be accomplished by hand, although, perhaps, not so well nor expeditiously.

The reciprocation of the bed-frame A can be accomplished in any desirable way. I prefer, however, to rest it upon a bed, which has grooves in its under surface into which tracks enter to direct its reciprocations, the same in substance as is now used in stereotype-trimming machines.

I prefer to face the engaging surfaces of the presser-plate with leather or some other suitable material, so that when it bears upon the separated column of stereotype matter it will not injure the type-surface thereof.

As it is necessary oftentimes to trim or remove from the side edge of a column of stereotype newspaper matter a thin film or shaving of metal in order to reduce it to the exact width, it is desirable to move the feed plate just a small fraction of an inch. This would be difficult to accomplish with the crank above alluded to. I therefore journal in the extremity of said crank a short spindle, and on the inner end thereof secure a segmental pinion hand on the outer end thereof secure a small milled Wheel K. Secured to the outer side of one of the carrierframes is a segmental rack L, Whose curvature corresponds to a circle struck from the center of shaft 0 the radius of which corresponds to the distance from the center of said shaft to the pinion 70. Thus when it is desired to urge the feed-plate forward slightly when the handle is at such an angle that the pinion k can be turned so that the cogs thereof could engage the rack L it is turned, thus causing it and the rack to engage. The revolution of said handle is in this way easily controlled and nicely gaged to move the feed-plate the desired distance.

What I claim is V 1. In a combined stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, the combination, with a separating-saw and the grooving-saw arranged so that their cutting-planes are parallel to each. other, of a suitableframe for carrying and feeding the stereotype-plate longitudinally to and past the separatin g-saw,

and frame for holding and oscillating the detached column of stereotype-plate to the grooving-saw, as set forth.

2. The combination, in a combined stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, of a separating-saw and a grooving-saw secured to and revolving concentrically with one and the same shaft, and said shaft, of a suitable frame for carrying and feedingthe stereotype-plate longitudinally to and past the separating-saw, and frame for holding angle to the said plate while it is being grooved by the grooving-saw, of said separating-saw and grooving-saw, said groovingsaw being parallel and concentric with said separating-saw, but of a less diameter.

4. The combination, in a combined stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, with the saws I and J, of the reciprocatin g bed-frame A, rock-shaft M, and presser-foot n, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, in a stereotype sepa rating, trimming, and grooving machine, with the saws I and J, of the rock-shaft M, oscillatin g frames N, and presser-plate n, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, in a stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, with saws I and J of the reciprocating bed-frame A, rock-shaft- M, oscillating frames N, presserplate n, and forth.

7. The combination, in a stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, with gage-strip 0, substantially as set the saws I and J, of the reciprocating bed- A frame A, rock-shaft M, oscillating frames N, presser-plate 'n, rock-shaft N, having eccentrics g thereon, and links 0, substantially as I most segment of its periphery reduced longitudinally to the horizontal plane of the said bed-plate, and presser-plate 'n.

9. In a combined stereotype separating, trimming,'and grooving machine, the combination, with the saws I and J, of the bed-. frame A and feeding devices, and frame for clamping and holding the detached column of stereotype-plate at an angle to the horizontal plane of the bed-frame While being grooved, substantially as set forth.

10. In a combined stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, the combination, with saws I and J, of the feeding devices consisting of the carrier-head B and means for moving the same transversely, substantially as set forth.

11. In a combined stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, the combination, with the saws I and J, of the carrierheads B, shaft 0, crank O, pinion 0, bedframe A, and racks Z), as set forth.

12. In a combined stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, the combination, with the saws I and J, of the carrierheads B, the segmental rock-shaft O, crank G, segmental pinion k, pinion c, bed-frame A, and racks b, as set forth.

13. The combination, in a stereotype separating, trimming, and grooving machine, with the saws I and J, of the bed-frame A, the car rier-heads 13, plate F, having lugs f arising from their forward ends, jaws G, pivoted between said lugs, and shaft g, having eccentrics g, as set forth.

14. The combination, in a combined stereotype-plate separating, trimming, and groov ing machine, with the saws I, of the bedframe, racks in on the transverse side pieces thereof, carrier-heads B, platforms 19' thereof, having lugs d arising therefrom, blocks E, screws D, and adjusting-plates F, as set forth.

7 JOHN R. CUMMINGS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. BARTON, FRANK D. THOMASON. 

